Ceiling construction



R. H. STI'I'T CEILING CONSTRUCTION Sept. 13, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 16, 1945 p 13, '1949. R. H. STITT 2,481,794

CEILING CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 16, 1945 2 Sheets-Shee t 2 Faye? I! 586869 Patented Sept. 13, 1949 CEILING CONSTRUCTION Roger H. Stitt, Chicago, Ill., assignor to United States Gypsum Company, Chicago, 11]., a corp'oration of Illinois Application February 16, 1945, Serial No. 578,243

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to a building construction but has special reference to a ceiling or the like comprising panels provided with a kerf in the edges thereof, for example, tile used for constructing a ceiling having acoustic corrective qualities.

In the erection of ceilings of the type mentioned, the generalpractice is to utilize tiles of, say, 12" x12" or 12" x 24" in size, and to assemble them in'edgewise abutting relation, the tiles nearest the walls being rough cut when necessary to completethe entire area too be covered. Inasmuch as several different modes of supporting these tiles are in use and a number of them employ a member of some kind engaging adjoining kerfs of a pair of abutting panels, the latter are furnished by most suppliers with a kerf in each panelled ceiling and its supports are so arranged that a panel or panels may be quickly and easily removed without destroying or damaging any thereof.

Present methods of installation utilize spline members interengaging kerfs of abutting panels and having permanently fastened clips to secure the splines to the ceiling supporting framework, and with that type of construction it is impossible to remove a panel without rendering the same unfit for reinstallation.

With these prior practices in view the principal object of the invention is to provide means for supporting a ceiling comprising abutting tiles adapted to permit a panel or panels, after once being erected, to be removed without damage thereto or the adjoining panels and, when the purpose for which the panel has been removed is accomplished, to'permit the same to be easily and cheaply reinstalled.

Another object is to provide means for suspending a ceiling in the manner outlined utilizing a novel type of spline and clip interengaging therewith, the clip being adapted to be hung from suitable runners supported from the floor above.

still another object is to provide in a suspension means for a ceiling a spline and clip so co-operating that the clip may be manually moved with respect to the spline to disengage the clip from its supporting member.

A further object is to provide a clip as aforesaid so adapted and arranged that it may not become accidentally dislodged from its supporting member while still permitting manual disengagement thereof from the same.

Still another object is to provide in a suspended ceiling construction spline members of one kind interengaging adjacent kerfs of the ceiling panels extending in one direction and with which the clips are adapted to co-operate; and splines of another kind engaging the adjacent kerfs running in a direction at right angles to the other, the two types of splines being so adapted and arranged as to permit the removal of a ceiling panel and then its reinstallation using the same splines,

A still further object is to provide at the margins of a suspended ceiling of the type mentioned supporting members attached to the walls and adapted to receive the marginal edges of the border panels, and resilient means interposed between the edges of the panels and the supporting member which in the normal use of the ceiling serve to retain the several panels in closely abutting relation but which, when a panel is to be removed, may yield to permit separation of the panels.

Another object is to provide a resilient member as aforesaid which comprises a one-piece element of cheap, simple construction easily installed without the use of tools.

Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In carrying out the invention in one form I provide a plurality of splines having an inverted substantially T-shaped cross section, the stem of the T including a groove longitudinally of the spline and the two halves of the head of the T being adapted to engage adjoining kerfs of a pair of abutting panels. Adapted to co-operate with the spline by sliding thereon is a hanger member or clip having a vertically disposed web the bottom of which is formed to provide a pair of opposed flanges extending laterally from both sides of the web. In order to adapt the clip for sliding 1 1pon the spline member the web is first bent outwardly at right angles to itself to form a flange and then returned upon the flange and extended beyond the web in the opposite direction. Suflicient clearance is left between the first mentioned flange and the returned portion to provide a slot which may engage one laterally extending flange of the spline.

The web of the clip is provided with a substantially rectanguler notchextending inwardly from one vertical edge thereof, the notch being of sumcient height to engage freely a runner constituting part of the supporting structure. Furthermore, the notch is provided near its outer or open end with a projection extending inwardly thereof and adapted to contact therunner when the clip is moved thereon to prevent unpremeditated dislodgement of the clip. The lower edge of the notch is chamiered in a manner as to permit the clip' to be raised vertically to clear the runner and thus allow the projection aforesaid to be lifted free of the runner for total disengagement of the clip therefrom.

The runners may be supported in any convenient manner from the floor above and in the form of the invention to be'described I have shown purlins spaced at convenient intervals and suitably supported from the floor above, and to which a plurality of runners maybe wired or otherwise attached.

For engaging the abutting panels along their lines of junction which are at right angles to the T-shaped splines hereinabove mentioned, I provide a plurality of thin that splines to engage adjoining kerfs and removable by endwise sliding thereof.

For permitting the shifting of a panel laterally in order to disengage the splines I provide at the edge of each panel where it meets the wall at least one resilient member which, in the normal use of the ceiling serves to thrust the panels of Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the clips;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a section of a panel, of a wall channel and of one of the resilient members in assembled relation.

Fig 5 is a perspective view of one of the resilient members; 1 I

Fig. 6 is a view showing one step in the'process of disengaging a clip from its runner;

Fig. 7 shows an intermediate step in that process;

Fig. 8 shows the final step in that process;

Fig. 9 is a view in the opposite direction of those of Figs. 6, 7 and 8 indicating the process of removal of a clip; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective view looking upwardly toward the ceiling showing several of the panels in process of removal.

In some of the figures parts have been broken away for clarity.

'Referring first to Fig. 1, the ceiling is shown comprised of individual panels It, for example, 12" x 24" in size, each being provided with an edgewise kerf ll along the two shorter edges and a like edgewise kerf l2 along the two longer edges (Fig. 2) As is usual in modern ceiling tiles, that portion of the edges thereof above the kerf II or I 2 is rabbeted slightly as indicated at l3 and for a purpose which will appear. Interengaging adjoining kerfs l2 of a pair of panels II are the splines M of inverted substantially T-shaped cross section and formed in this instance of a single thin'sheet of metal in such manner as to result in a stem for the T of con-' .densed inverted V-i'orm l5 as most clearly seen in Fig. 9, the narrow opening formed within the V being indicated by the reference numeral it. The head of the T is constituted by the two lateral oppositely extending flanges l'l adapted to engage the adjoining kerfs l2. For rigidity consistent with convenience of assembly and disassembly the splines ll may be made longer than a single panel and in this case they are each indicated as being the length of two panels or 48" (Fig. 10)

Adapted to engage the T splines are the clips 2| also being formed of a single piece of thin flat material to include a web or skirt 22, a flange 23 and a flange 24. The flanges 23 and 24are constituted by deforming the sheet at right angles to the web .22 and extending it laterally a predetermined distance to form the web 23 and then returning it upon itself to a point beyond the web 22 to form the flange 24. When returning the metal to form the flange 24 an open-'- ing 25 is left between the flanges 23 and 24 whereby the clip may be engaged over the flanges .of a spline It as seen in Fig. 9. The total thickness of a flange i1, together with the metal comprising the flanges 23 and 24 and the clearances therebetween is slightly less than the width of the kerf l2, and the opening 25- is slightly greater in height than the thickness of the metal comprising the flange II, the desideratum being that the clip 2| may be moved with only slight friction longitudinally upon the'spline l4 and within the kerf l2. It will, be apprehended that the rabbets I! .are sufliciently deep to permit the proper clearance for reception of I the spline I4 and clip 2| and the free movement of both for disengagement of a panel or panels in a manner to be detailed hereinafter.

The number of clips individual to a single spline M will be dependent upon the physical dimensions of the ceiling panels and their weight. In the present instance I have shown three such clips associated with each spline section N, there being one centrally thereof, and one at each end, the end units bridging over two abutting T-splines.

Disposed above the panels In is the plurality of runners 3| which may be of any suitable cross To engage the runners 3| each clip (Fig.-

3) is provided in its web 22 with a substantially rectangular notch 35, the width of the notch measured in a vertical direction being sufllcient ,to fit snugly over the flanges of a runner. 3| (Fig. 2) but freeto slide thereon either ,transtion 36 the opposite corner of the notch is cham- I fered as at 38 to provide a mouth or throat for the notch 35, the nose 36 lying within said mouth for a purpose to be described.

To provide mutual support between the narrower abutting edges of the panels In and to insure a tighter seal therebetween there is provided a plurality of flat splines 4| extending between rows of splines l4 and fitting within the kerfs Preferably one end of each spline 4| is adapted to overlap a flange as shown in leased and the elements 5| will restore the panels Figs. 2 and 9, the opposite end merely abutting the closed or bend edge of the flange 23. Thus the splines 4| are substantially supported on the splines l4 and thereby increase the strength of the framework carrying the ceiling panels l0. Moreover by so overlapping aspline 4| with a flange I1 levelling of the panels Ill and their alignment in the same plane is properly attalned.

To support the ceiling marginally there may be attached to the walls 44 (Figs. 1 and 4) the channels 45, the web 46 thereof being aflixed to the wall by any well-known means, e. g., screws. The flanges 41 are spaced sufficiently far apart to receive the thickness of a panel l0 for free sliding movement transversely and longitudinally with respect thereto.

Where they are received between the flanges 41 the edges of the panels In are rough cut short of the web 45 a predetermined distance to permit the insertion of resilient elements 5|, the cutoff being just suflicient to enable an element 5| to be held in position laterally against accidental shifting but to permit the element to be compressed when a panel I0 is moved outwardly.

Referring particularly to Fig. 5 it will be noted that the element 5| comprises a single piece of resilient metal having a body portion 52 adapted to abut an edge of a panel l0 and two wings 53 extending outwardly therefrom at an obtuse angle, the wings 35 terminating in curled extremities 54. As an element 5| is compressed by outward movement of a panel III the wings 53 will yield with respect to the body 52, the curled ends 54 permitting the two ends of the element to slide freely upon the surface of the web 46.

Installation of a ceiling in accordance with my invention may be accomplished in any of several ways. For illustration and assuming that the purlins 33, runners 3| and wall channels 45 are in place, I can begin by first placing elements 5| within the flanges 41 and then positioning a first panel Illa within the flanges (Fig. 1). I can then insert the next panel lllb together with its element 5|. Following this I insert a spline 4| and a spline H which latter, as mentioned, may be of suflicient length to encompass the panels Illa and "lb, the spline |4 having first been assembled with two clips 2| (1 and Nb, and these are simultaneously engaged with the runners 3|. Although not essential, I have shown the two runners 3| of Fig. 1 in alignment with lines of junction of the panels. It will be apparent from a consideration of the invention that the runners may be positioned otherwise than as shown, considered lengthwise of splines I4.

I may then continue the installation by inserting panels Illc and "Id in a similar manner and continue thus throughout the entire ceiling. When an opposite wall is reached the border sections may be inserted toward the other wall against the resilience of the elements 5| to allow sufficient clearance for thrusting the last or marginal panel Ill upwardly into place between the flanges 41 whereupon the pressure may herethe opposing elements 5| at either margin and supported within the wall channels 45. Since the clips 2| are slidable longitudinally of the runners 3| it is apparent that the entire ceiling is shiftable laterally in either direction the amount permitted by an element 5|.

Now if it is desired to remove a ceiling panel or panels I can proceed as indicated in Figs. 6 through 10. First referring to Fig. 6, a knife blade 60 is inserted between a pair of abutting panels l0 and within the groove l6 and is pressed against the end of the flange 24. This action will slide the clip 2| to the left as seen in Fig. '7 until the projection 36 strikes the uppper flange of the runner 3|. At this point the chamfer 38 will open suificient space between itself and the corner of the runner 3| nearest thereto to permit the ceiling panels associated with the clip 2| as well as the clip to 'be lifted upwardly by manual pressure until the projection 36 may be cleared over the upper flange of the runner 3|. Pres sure on the blade is meanwhile continued in the same direction until the clip is entirely clear of the runner 3| as shown in Fig. 8. The operation just outlined is performed on the other two clips associated with a spline M. The clips now having been cleared from the runners 3|, four panels ID are free todrop downwardly. Now a knife blade may be inserted in a joint associated with the splines 4| and panels adjacent to those to be removed, for example, Ille, l0), lflg and In (Fig. 10) may be moved toward the walls and against the resilient elements 5| to free the said panels from engagement with their associated splines 4|.

Now the panels III to be removed may be dropped downwardly until the stem |5 of the spline I4 is cleared below the bottom of the ceiling whereupon it may be grasped with a pliers and withdrawn endwise from the kerfs l2. Now

that the panels I0 have been separated from the intermediate spline 4 they may be removed entirely.

For reinstallation of the panels the procedure just outlined is reversed except that the knife blade 50 would be inserted against the opposite end of the flange 24.

Inasmuch as there is no rigid attachment between the ceiling panels Ill, the runners 3| and wall channels 45, the ceiling is suspended in the full sense of the term andvfree to move in all directions under the various conditions which may produce changes in the position thereof or of its component panels. Thus by relieving strains resulting from such changes the danger of distortion or fracture of a panel is completely eliminated.

Because there is no rigid connection between the panels and the supporting structure, the latter likewise is free to move without transferring stresses to the panels proper.

By virtue of the resilient elements 5| the tiles are at all times thrust together in closely abutting relation to result in tight joints and the avoidance of drafts and dust transmission therethrough.

It will be understood that the splines H are preferably arranged with their joints in staggered relation thus providing greater rigidity to the supporting structure. For convenience in describing the invention I have indicated that the joints of the splines l4 may be in alignment.

To my knowledge present systems have no provision at the rough cut border tiles to prevent 7 lateral shitting thereof so that those tiles are free to move and permit undesirable cracks to be opened. By the use of the element every joint is maintained in snugly abutting relation.

' While I have shown particular embodiments of my invention, it will .be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention. 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A supporting assembly for a ceiling comprising kerfed edge abutting panels including in combination an elongated spline member coextensive with the abutting edges of at least two panels, said member having a downwardly opening longitudinal groove substantially in alignment with the line of junction of said two panels and oppositely extending longitudinal flanges adapted to enter the juxtaposed kerfs, a plurality of hangers associated with said member, each said hanger including a vertically disposed web having a substantially rectangular notch in one vertical edge thereof, the upper edge of said notch being provided near its open end with a portion extending into. said notch and said notch being wider at the region of said extending portion and said hanger including a flange adapted to underlie said first mentioned flanges and to lie within said juxtaposed kerfs, and a plurality of supporting members disposed above said panels and adapted to engage said notch, the upper margin of each notch overlying a supporting member, and said hanger being transversely slidable with respect to its associated member.

2. A supporting assembly for a ceiling comprising kerfed edge abutting panels including in combination an elongated spline member coextensive with the abutting edges of at least two panels, said-member having a downwardly opening longitudinal groove substantially in align-- ment with the line of junction of said two panels and oppositely extending longitudinal flanges adapted to enter the juxtaposed keris, a plurality of supporting members disposed above said panels, a plurality of hangers associated with said spline member, each said hanger including a vertically dispmedweb having a substantially rectangular notch in one vertical edge thereof, the upper edge of said notch being provided near its open end with a projection extending into said notch and the lower-edge of said notch having its outer corner chamfered, the distance from the outermost extremity of the chamfer to the lower edge of the notch being greater than the distance from the upper edge of the notch to the lower end of said projection, both distances being measured vertically, and the distance from the inner edge of said projection to the innermost extremity of the chamfer measured horizontally being at least 'equalto or wider than the horizontal width of a said supporting member, and said hanger having a flange adapted to underlie said first mentioned flanges and to lie within said juxtaposed kerfs.

3. In a building construction, a plurality of abutting units adapted to form a suspended surface structure, each said unit having a keri in each of at least two opposed edges thereof, a plurality of supporting members disposed above said units, a plurality of splines of inverted T-shaped cross section disposed normally to said supporting members the horizontally extending parts oi the head of the T entering adjacent keris of adjoining panelsand the leg of the T being disposed vertically, and a plurality of members interconnecting said splines and said supporting mem-- bers, said interconnecting members including a 5 portion to engage the head of the T and a hooked portion to transversely engage said supporting members, the notch of said hook forming a snug,

sliding fit with respect to said supporting members at their region of engagement, said notch being wider at its open end and having the nose of the hook adjacent said wider part and overhanging one side'of said member, said hooked portion overlying the top of the supporting memher and removable therefrom when said interconnecting member is moved from engaging position, and the panels and splines being spaced sufiiciently below said supporting members to permit said panels and splines to be manually lifted for disengagement of the nose-of the hook from the supportingmember when the wider por-- 7 tion of the notch is moved to a position vertically ing panels, and a plurality of members interconnecting said elements and said supporting members, said interconnecting members includ-v r ing a portion to engage said element and extend over' said slot, and a hooked portion to transversely engage said supporting members, the

notch of said hook forming a snug, sliding fit with respect to said supporting members at their re- 40 gion of engagement, said notch being wider at its open end and having the nose of the hook adjacent said wider part and overhanging oneside of said member, said hooked portion overlying the top of the supporting member with which it position, and the panels and elements being spaced sufficiently below said supporting members to permit said panels and elements to be 5 manually lifted for disengagement of the nose of the hook from the supporting member when the wider portion of the notch is moved to a position vertically coincident with a supporting member.

5. A supporting assembly for a ceiling comprising abutting panels having kerfed edges comprising in combination a spline member having a substantially central downwardly opening groove and oppositely extending flanges adapted to engage the kerfs of abutting panels, a fixed supporting member above said panels, a hanger including a portion to slidably engage said flanges and a substantially centrally disposed upward extension having a horizontally disposed notch positioned above the upper face of said panels, the

top margin of said notch resting upon the top face of said supporting member and said hanger I being transversely slidable withrespect to said member, said notch including a rectangular part having a vertical width sufilcient to slidably and snugly engage over said supporting member, a tapered mouth having a downward projection extending into said mouth whereby when said hanger is fully engaged over said supporting member the rectangular part prevents vertical supporting members, the flanges of said elements being adapted to enter adjacent kerfs of adjoinis engaged and removable therefrom when saidinterconnecting member is moved from engaging.

shifting of said hanger, but upon transverse sliding of said hanger with respect to said supporting member said mouth will permit upward shifting of said hanger to disengage the projection from the member and to complete disengagement of the hanger from the member.

6. In a ceiling construction a plurality of abutted panels, sets of members interposed between the edges of adjoining panels adapted normally to maintain said panels in flush relation but to permit manual lateral separation of adjacent panels, second sets of supporting members disposed above the ceiling, elements intermediate said two sets of members to support the ceiling panels over the major extent thereof, a third set of ceiling supporting members embracing the ceiling at the margin thereof, a space being formed between said margin and the bases of said third set of members, and resilient elements intermediate said margin and said third set of mem- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Namle Date 2,013,693 McInerney Sept. 10, 1935 2,074,442 Venzie Mar. 23, 1937 2,076,388 Venzie Apr. 6, 1937 2,242,558 Venzie May 20, 1941 2,303,271 Haertel -4 Nov. 24, 1942 2,318,092

Olsen May 4, 1943 

